s13 skid wannabe

[Andrex]

Bought this 13 back in August but never got round to a build thread until now. It is a pretty average engine spec really (copied from original add)

Modifications - Stage 2 – hardware/map capable up to 280BHP.


• Garrett GT2859R (HKS RB26 GT-SS) Turbo, P/N 707160 – 9
• Norris Design Front Mount Intercooler kit including hard pipe kit
• NGK R grade 7 spark plugs
• Atmospheric Dump Valve
• K&N Cone Filter
• Scorpion Stainless Steel Turbo back Exhaust
• Walbro 255lph in tank pump
• “Dawes Device” manual boost controller
• Boost Gauge below Radio aperture
• LUK Uprated Organic Clutch.
• Lowering Springs
• Rear subframe Alloy locking collars (vastly improved rear compliance between subframe and body, but slightly worst NVH from rear axle)
• Cobra CAT 2 Immobiliser (active)
• Clifford CAT 1 Alarm (not active)
• Sparco Alloy Pedals











All in all it wan't bad for a starter car. It sounded smooth and pulled well and tbh it didn't even seem to have much in the way of rust on it either, which was a bit of a result

The pics are off my phone so they are slightly terrible!

[Andrex]

So I soon started to fiddle with it. I took the numberplate off and screwed it to the splitter. I look back at it now and I dunno why I done it as it look turd lol.



A couple of weeks later I managed to get hold of some cheap coilovers. The front ones I'm not to sure what make they are but the rears were teins.

So me and my pal went fitting them one evening and couldn't resist but to set them as low as they go.



Turned out to be a bad idea, took 15mins to get off the driveway and it scraped on everything possible in the road. And I also put the number plate on the dash.

[Andrex]

I had noticed my car was leaking quite alot of oil, so due to me not checking the oil as much as I probably should it was nearly running dry. So typically the big ends started rattling

This still didn't stop me from driving the car though as it was my daily.

I thought I'd make a start on some of the bodywork on the car as it did have a few bits of rust. No cheap s13 is perfect for the bodywork as many of you probably know lol.



So the rear arch was a bit rotten, so spent a few evenings sorting it out. I managed to aquire some thin sheet metal to use for repairing the body.

It was then attacked with an angle grinder



... the rust had gone quite far round the arch but it didn't put me off



The repair came out well. With more time it could have been better but I have no patience

[Andrex]

I was then on the look out for some rota grids when I came across these wheels....



Grenade gx-01.

Fronts are 8.5 X 17 +30

Rears are 9. X17 +15




I didnt have no spacers yet so I was running the rears on front and front on rear.



I got hold of some 20mm bolt on spacers and swapped them back...



Lifestyler shot ftw

[burgerboy78]

jesus how many posts :P you didnt mention the seat and wheel and blown engine ha

[Andrex]

HA, I'm getting to that, hold on lol

[Andrex]

I then had the car up on a ramp so I could inspect the underneath properly. I was pleasantly surprised as I was expecting to see holes everywhere. I've only seen what's on the surface, I haven't scratched any deeper just yet.



There was still a few noticeable bits of rust on there but nothing too major.



the front right sill looked a bit crushed, the picture makes it look worse than what it is.

And....



A bit of rot on the front beam under intercooler.

While it was up in the air I decided to cut the midbox out and customize a screamer pipe to fit. So yeah, now its loud as anything and the screamer blows alot!!

[Andrex]

I'm still running a standard internal wastegate but I'm not that bothered. The screamer just opens up on boost.

It blows where the screamer is meant to have a divide, so instead of putting the standard elbow back on, I've decided to be creative and experiment and make a divide that seals up fully as my one doesn't. Its probably been done before, but I guess I'll just learn by doing

I took to the CAD at work and then let the CNC mill do the rest, untill I came up with this...



I'm hoping it shouldn't catch on the penny washer. But I'm still yet to try it out.

I also made myself a quick bodged gear stick. Nothing fancy as it was a 10min job

[Andrex]

I had been driving the car from August to December with a rattling bottom end, and on new years eve it gave up with a big bang after some extreme rattling as I was limping home

I managed to get a quick clip of my friend revving it before it died fully



So now it sits at a workshop being an expensive paperweight. I never really had a chance to get any seat time at pod as I didn't want to risk blowing the bottom end far from home





Hopefully this weekend progress will now start. I have a new engine and a welded diff, so I'll get some pictures up at weekend on progress.

Hopefully I can book some time at pod as soon as and start using the car properly

[burgerboy78]

did you mention that you've got 3 engines all doing not alot?

[Andrex]

did you mention that you've got 3 engines all doing not alot?

Now 3 broken engines? Need to buy an sr, this is shit!





Thats what was left of the old engine. The sump had actually been blown off by the rod. You can see the bearing shell thats half hanging out the sump too. So yeah, that engine is a write off.

Another engine I have has a blown head gasket and other shit wrong with it and needs a full rebuild



This is another engine i purchased, half fitted in the picture... but yeah, today had that up and running..

Good points, the divider piece I made for the screamer works a charm. The car drives and idles silently and then screamer opens and hell breaks loose

The engine all and all sounds really smooth.

Bad bits... It over fuels like mad so need to swap the 444cc injectors for the standard ones.

Need to modify the exhaust as the stainless manifold sits different to the standard so my exhaust is on the ground near enough.

AND the engine is actually shit, bottom end is rattling like hell, so I bought a dud. Not impressed.

So 3 fucked ca engines now.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BUDGET S13!

So yeah. I need to get my purse out and buy an sr



Poor car.

[bmxwill13]

Sounds like your having a great time dude.
Bad luck seems to be your problem, or maybe karma.....you haven't robbed any OAPs lately have you?

[xborninthefightx]

Yep dont waste more time, just get an SR and you will be much happier. Thats what I did.

[Andrex]

For some reason I just avoided the sr as I thought i may get away with running ca engines. But in actual fact I've managed 5000miles and 3 engines. It might be my crap driving, it might be my poor maintenance skills, but hopefully I can find an sr that will last longer than 5000k lol.

And Will yeah I duno why I'm having so much bad luck with the car. I don't think I've robbed/raped oaps lol. My life is just jinxed. Even though the big ends are rattling, I've stopped the screamer blowing its tits off

[Andrex]

The car is finally running properly and last night took it for a run. It wont be long before the engine will be getting ripped out though as the big ends are rattling a bit and oil pisses out the rear main. Its sounds alright for now, but will need topping up with oil every few days



I'm still impressed on how the screamer pipe came out even though I'm still running an internal wastegate

Here's a picture of how the engine stands now, I had to take the 444cc injectors out as it was over fuelling like mad and I really didn't want to put any more power through a dying engine.



Just needs to last a few weeks so I can get my hands on an sr.

I'm not buying another ca engine again!

[burgerboy78]

funky fresh

[Chuck Norris]

good old ca's!!

[naths13]

sounds like you was better off rebuilding the first engine you had

[Andrex]

sounds like you was better off rebuilding the first engine you had

The first engine wasn't really rebuild-able as the rod shot out of it ripping the sump off and tearing through things on the way out lol.

SR is on the cards now, hopefully it wont be AS high maintenance as the CA.

[Andrex]

Small pointless update as more important things need doing but ah well...

Fitted my makeshift gear stick and my new boss and wheel

It feels allot better to drive with than the original. I found the original wheel was too far away, yet my legs were too close to the pedals, if you get what I mean lol.